Years 1 to 2
Languages
ASLANFREF10Y12
Years 1 to 2 French Achievement Standard
7 statements aligned to content descriptors and elaborations
Achievement standard (as ACARA publishes it)
Achievement standard
Click any sentence to jump to its statement and linked content descriptors.
By the end of Year 2, students use French language to interact and share information related to the classroom and themselves. They use cues to respond to questions and instructions, and use simple formulaic language. They locate and convey key items of information in texts using non-verbal, visual and contextual cues to help make meaning. They use familiar words and modelled language to create texts.
Students imitate the sounds and rhythms of French and demonstrate understanding that French has conventions and rules for non-verbal communication, pronunciation and writing. They give examples of similarities and differences between some features of French and English. They understand that language is connected with culture, and notice how this is reflected in their own language(s) and culture(s).
Foundation to Year 10 sequence
The 7 achievement standard statements
Open a statement to see the content descriptors ACARA links to it, then open a descriptor's elaborations.
By the end of Year 2, students use French language to interact and share information related to the classroom and themselves.
Content descriptorAC9LF2C01 Communicating meaning in French
recognise and respond to modelled classroom-related greetings, instructions and routines; and personal introductions
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration introducing themselves, for example, Comment t’appelles-tu? Je m’appelle … et toi? Ça va bien? Ça va très bien, merci et toi? and responding to greetings using cultural gestures when appropriate, for example, kissing both cheeks when greeting friends and relatives, or shaking hands
- Elaboration responding to basic classroom instructions using simple imperative verb forms, for example, Viens ici! Écoutez bien! Écrivez votre nom.
- Elaboration using simple descriptive or expressive statements to describe themselves and to express likes, preferences or feelings, for example, Moi, j’ai cinq ans; Je suis australien; J’aime le sport; Je préfère la danse; Je suis très content.
- Elaboration responding to simple questions on topics such as home, school or pets, using supporting intonation and gestures, for example, C'est qui? C’est Maman. Qu’est-ce que c’est? C’est une chaise. Où est …? Il est … C’est un chien? Oui. Non … C’est un chat!
- Elaboration using formulaic French phrases for everyday interactions such as thanking, apologising, and offering wishes or congratulations, for example, Merci beaucoup! De rien. Oh, désolé(e); Bon anniversaire!
- Elaboration using phrases and simple statements to comment on photographs to exchange simple information with their classmates
- Elaboration using puppets to perform role-play greetings, classroom language and instructions, and exchange information about self
- Elaboration exchanging cards for special occasions
They use cues to respond to questions and instructions, and use simple formulaic language.
Content descriptorAC9LF2C01 Communicating meaning in French
recognise and respond to modelled classroom-related greetings, instructions and routines; and personal introductions
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration introducing themselves, for example, Comment t’appelles-tu? Je m’appelle … et toi? Ça va bien? Ça va très bien, merci et toi? and responding to greetings using cultural gestures when appropriate, for example, kissing both cheeks when greeting friends and relatives, or shaking hands
- Elaboration responding to basic classroom instructions using simple imperative verb forms, for example, Viens ici! Écoutez bien! Écrivez votre nom.
- Elaboration using simple descriptive or expressive statements to describe themselves and to express likes, preferences or feelings, for example, Moi, j’ai cinq ans; Je suis australien; J’aime le sport; Je préfère la danse; Je suis très content.
- Elaboration responding to simple questions on topics such as home, school or pets, using supporting intonation and gestures, for example, C'est qui? C’est Maman. Qu’est-ce que c’est? C’est une chaise. Où est …? Il est … C’est un chien? Oui. Non … C’est un chat!
- Elaboration using formulaic French phrases for everyday interactions such as thanking, apologising, and offering wishes or congratulations, for example, Merci beaucoup! De rien. Oh, désolé(e); Bon anniversaire!
- Elaboration using phrases and simple statements to comment on photographs to exchange simple information with their classmates
- Elaboration using puppets to perform role-play greetings, classroom language and instructions, and exchange information about self
- Elaboration exchanging cards for special occasions
Content descriptorAC9LF2C02 Communicating meaning in French
participate in a range of guided, play-based language activities using formulaic expressions, visual and spoken cues
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration reciting an expanded range of action songs and raps with greater independence
- Elaboration using classroom labels or word walls to participate in play-based experiences, for example, using words such as la porte, la fenêtre, le jardin to make a house with blocks or using pretend food items to make la cantine
- Elaboration playing hide and seek with classroom objects, for example, Où est le crayon? Sous la table ... Dans le tiroir ...
- Elaboration participating in tasks involving exchanging, sorting and classifying objects and attributes such as shapes, colours and numbers, using simple question forms and affirmative and negative responses, for example, Tu as un sept? Oui, voilà! Et toi, tu as le jaune? Non, j’ai le vert.
- Elaboration taking turns in games and action songs that involve choice and negotiation, for example, choosing or exchanging matching cards or playing memory games such as Au marché - Donne-moi deux pommes, s’il te plaȋt; Donne-moi deux pommes et trois carottes; Voilà/voici … merci; C’est ton tour.
- Elaboration adapting familiar outdoor games such as Simon Says, Fruit Salad, What's the Time Mr Wolf, Hopscotch into French, for example, Jacques a dit.
- Elaboration taking turns to be a fitness instructor for classroom body breaks, using the imperative to give instructions, for example, sautez, marchez, tournez, à gauche, à droite
Content descriptorAC9LF2C04 Communicating meaning in French
notice that language carries cultural meaning in classroom-related greetings, introductions, instructions and routines
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration differentiating between familiar and formal language, for example, Bonjour Madame! Comment allez-vous? Salut Jacques! Ça va? Merci beaucoup, Monsieur; Salut, Annie! Bisous!
- Elaboration understanding language for classroom instructions and routines, for example, plural form for the whole class
- Elaboration noticing formalities in France or French-speaking communities such as handshakes or standing up to greet a visitor to the classroom
- Elaboration noticing language associated with interactions, for example, the use of first names in Australian or American English compared to the use of titles and family names in French-speaking communities
- Elaboration noticing hand gestures, intonation patterns and facial expressions that accompany some expressions in French, for example, noticing shrugs or exclamations such as Bof! Mais non! Ouf! Oh, là là!
- Elaboration noticing cultural meaning in expressions such as le goûter, la rentrée or la bise
They locate and convey key items of information in texts using non-verbal, visual and contextual cues to help make meaning.
Content descriptorAC9LF2C03 Communicating meaning in French
locate, with support, key information in familiar texts, and respond using gestures, images, words and formulaic phrases
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration recognising and assigning symbols, titles, words and labels to classroom items and resources or personal possessions such as la table, le livre, l’ordinateur, la carte
- Elaboration identifying key words and points in a variety of texts, for example, Les trois petits cochons, Le petit chaperon rouge, Les amis de la ferme or Raconte et Chante, rhymes or songs
- Elaboration using intonation and visual cues such as gestures and facial expressions, images, contextual clues to assist understanding meaning in context
- Elaboration recognising that gesture and body language are integral to communicating in language for First Nations Australians, and showing examples of how this is also reflected in French and the language(s) they speak at home
- Elaboration making connections between information in written texts and images, for example, naming toys and games in catalogues such as Jouets pour les tout-petits, selecting and listing items and prices
- Elaboration responding to games or songs with actions, for example, Tête, épaules, genoux, pieds
- Elaboration retelling a story or information by creating a storyboard
- Elaboration miming, drawing, pointing, clicking or dragging to show understanding of key points in a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts
- Elaboration responding to texts by sequencing pictures and simple text in the order that events occurred
They use familiar words and modelled language to create texts.
Content descriptorAC9LF2C05 Communicating meaning in French
use words, familiar phrases and modelled language to create spoken, written and multimodal texts
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration creating a mini autobiography using simple text and photographs, pictures or drawings
- Elaboration creating a print or digital glossary of new French words and phrases with accompanying drawings, pictures or photos
- Elaboration performing poems, rhymes or simple stories such as Le Navet Géant or Boucle d’Or et les Trois Ours that include repeated phrases and rhythms to emphasise key points, for example, chanting Au Loup!
- Elaboration matching bilingual captions/labels to images of First Nations Country/Place locations in their local area or elsewhere in Australia
- Elaboration making simple evaluative statements about favourite characters in stories, rhymes or songs, for example, Il est magnifique! J’adore Minou! Elle est sympa!
- Elaboration creating stories, rhymes and songs through drawings or using digital tools using simple or complex sentences and captions
- Elaboration using simple questions and statements for interviewing a classmate and creating a student profile about them, for example, Tu t’appelles comment? Tu as un animal chez toi? Tu aimes les fraises? Tu es grand?
- Elaboration using puppets, gestures and props to retell stories
- Elaboration creating a display wall with pictures and captions retelling the main events of a class excursion or event
Students imitate the sounds and rhythms of French and demonstrate understanding that French has conventions and rules for non-verbal communication, pronunciation and writing.
Content descriptorAC9LF2U01 Understanding language and culture
recognise and imitate the sounds and rhythms of French
Elaborations (10)
- Elaboration recognising that every language has its own words and sounds to make meaning by sharing sounds of the languages represented in the classroom
- Elaboration clapping or drumming the rhythm and intonation of French statements, questions and exclamations such as Comment t’appelles-tu? Je m’appelle …, Qu’est-ce que tu prends pour le petit déjeuner? Un pain au chocolat
- Elaboration understanding that intonation patterns create different meanings, as in the distinction between statements, questions and exclamations such as Le chocolat chaud, Le chocolat chaud? Le chocolat chaud! Tu as 6 ans. Tu as 6 ans? Tu as 6 ans!
- Elaboration building phonic awareness by experimenting with sounds, focusing on those that are initially difficult such as ‘u’ (tu), ‘r’ (très rapide) and ‘-ion’ (attention!) and listening closely to distinguish between sounds such as bon, bien, beau or chien, chat and champ
- Elaboration imitating the pronunciation, phrasing and intonation of French songs, nursery rhymes and tongue twisters such as the virelangue – les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches?
- Elaboration recognising the nasal sounds in French, for example, ‘on’ in mon and ‘an’ in dans
- Elaboration noticing the possible confusion between how ‘g’ and ‘j’ are pronounced in English and French
- Elaboration noticing how the letter ‘h’ in French is always silent, but can act as a vowel or consonant
- Elaboration noticing sounds at the end of certain French words that are unspoken, for example, chat/chats, riz, deux, cahier
- Elaboration recognising basic sound blends in French and how these may differ from English, for example, ‘ch’ in château; ’ille’ in famille
Content descriptorAC9LF2U02 Understanding language and culture
recognise that the Roman alphabet is used to construct meaning in texts in French
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration becoming familiar with the French alphabet, noticing similarities to and differences from English, for example, double-v, i-grec
- Elaboration recognising that French uses the Roman alphabet like English, but unlike English, French has accent marks
- Elaboration noticing that the use of accent marks can change the sound of letters, for example, noticing that a cedilla makes a ‘c’ sound like an ‘s’ - ç, and the use of acute and grave accents
- Elaboration recognising familiar words and phrases in French texts that look, sound and have the same meaning in French as in English
- Elaboration exploring the similarity to English of the French subject+verb+object structure such as Je mange la pomme; Tu as le cahier.
- Elaboration noticing that there are different types of texts such as picture books, nursery rhymes, tongue twisters, lists, signs, etc.
- Elaboration recognising that French uses lower case for days of the week and months of the year and the date, for example, dimanche, juillet, Aujourd’hui c’est le lundi 2 janvier.
- Elaboration noticing that French uses definite and indefinite articles in singular or plural forms such as une fille, le concert, les croissants, including the l’ form for nouns beginning with a vowel or the letter ‘h’ such as l’hiver, l’école; and un chapeau, une chaise, des amis
- Elaboration developing the use of appropriate pronouns to identify people, for example, Je m’appelle Adam, et toi, tu t’appelles comment? Comment allez-vous?
They give examples of similarities and differences between some features of French and English.
Content descriptorAC9LF2U02 Understanding language and culture
recognise that the Roman alphabet is used to construct meaning in texts in French
Elaborations (9)
- Elaboration becoming familiar with the French alphabet, noticing similarities to and differences from English, for example, double-v, i-grec
- Elaboration recognising that French uses the Roman alphabet like English, but unlike English, French has accent marks
- Elaboration noticing that the use of accent marks can change the sound of letters, for example, noticing that a cedilla makes a ‘c’ sound like an ‘s’ - ç, and the use of acute and grave accents
- Elaboration recognising familiar words and phrases in French texts that look, sound and have the same meaning in French as in English
- Elaboration exploring the similarity to English of the French subject+verb+object structure such as Je mange la pomme; Tu as le cahier.
- Elaboration noticing that there are different types of texts such as picture books, nursery rhymes, tongue twisters, lists, signs, etc.
- Elaboration recognising that French uses lower case for days of the week and months of the year and the date, for example, dimanche, juillet, Aujourd’hui c’est le lundi 2 janvier.
- Elaboration noticing that French uses definite and indefinite articles in singular or plural forms such as une fille, le concert, les croissants, including the l’ form for nouns beginning with a vowel or the letter ‘h’ such as l’hiver, l’école; and un chapeau, une chaise, des amis
- Elaboration developing the use of appropriate pronouns to identify people, for example, Je m’appelle Adam, et toi, tu t’appelles comment? Comment allez-vous?
Content descriptorAC9LF2U03 Understanding language and culture
notice that French has features that may be similar to or different from English
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration noticing that French and English use punctuation conventions such as full stops, capital letters, commas and question marks
- Elaboration noticing that adjectives usually follow the noun in French, for example, le chien noir, le papillon rose, whereas adjectives usually precede the noun in English
- Elaboration becoming aware of grammatical gender, noticing and using masculine or feminine forms of nouns and adjectives such as le chien, la maison, le petit garçon, la petite fille, le copain, la copine
- Elaboration developing number knowledge and identifying the similarities and differences in using cardinal and ordinal numbers, for example, using ordinals throughout the month in English but only for the first of each month in French, le premier mars, le 2 juin
They understand that language is connected with culture, and notice how this is reflected in their own language(s) and culture(s).
Content descriptorAC9LF2U04 Understanding language and culture
notice that people use language in ways that reflect cultural practices
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration understanding that the world has many different languages
- Elaboration noticing that many languages from different parts of the world are spoken in Australia and may be represented in their classroom
- Elaboration recognising that French is spoken in many places around the world and using a print or digital world map to highlight Francophone countries
- Elaboration exploring symbols used by First Nations Australians and those used in French-speaking communities in a range of contexts, for example, finding out what the symbols on flags represent
- Elaboration understanding that learning French involves ways of using language that may be unfamiliar, for example, using merci when refusing an offer, and understanding that some ways of behaving and thinking may be unfamiliar, such as the importance of food in some family and regional traditions or ways of expressing or describing feelings or relationships
- Elaboration comparing gestures to convey different messages, for example, pointing to their eye and saying Mon œil! in French meaning that they think someone is not telling the truth
- Elaboration recognising that cultural aspects like music, dance, food, celebrations and games are connected to culture, for example, eating pancakes on Mardi Gras, making la bûche de Noël for Christmas
- Elaboration recognising that languages have words borrowed from other languages, and that many French words are used in English and many English words are used in French such as le weekend, le parking, le cowboy
This achievement standard describes the expected learning for Years 1 to 2 French · Foundation to Year 10 sequence. Use it to plan teaching and assessment with the Australian Curriculum v9.
At a Glance
| Strand | Substrand | CDs | Elaborations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communicating meaning in French | Interacting in French | 2 | 15 |
| Communicating meaning in French | Mediating meaning in and between languages | 2 | 15 |
| Communicating meaning in French | Creating text in French | 1 | 9 |
| Understanding language and culture | Understanding systems of language | 3 | 23 |
| Understanding language and culture | Understanding the interrelationship of language and culture | 1 | 8 |
| Total | 9 | 70 | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should students know by the end of Years 1 to 2 French?
By the end of Year 2, students use French language to interact and share information related to the classroom and themselves. They use cues to respond to questions and instructions, and use simple formulaic language. Read the full standard
How many Content Descriptors support this standard?
9 Content Descriptors support this Achievement Standard (Communicating meaning in French: 5, Understanding language and culture: 4).
How does this compare to Foundation?
The Foundation French standard (ASLANFREF10FY) covers the preceding curriculum level. Standards build progressively, with Years 1 to 2 expectations extending what was introduced in Foundation.
Is this from the latest Australian Curriculum?
Yes, this Achievement Standard is from the Australian Curriculum version 9.0 (AC v9), the most current version published by ACARA.